UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -
As part of the 2012 Winter Classic festivities, the Penn State men's hockey team will head outdoors to Citizens Bank Park - home of Major League Baseball's Philadelphia Phillies - on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2012 to face off against NCAA DIII Neumann University. Opening faceoff is scheduled at 8 p.m.

In its last year competing at the club level, Penn State (13-1-0) is the top-ranked team in the American Collegiate Hockey Association and will face a Neumann squad (5-3-0) that is ranked No. 15 in the USCHO.com Division III poll.

"As Penn State becomes a Division I Hockey school, what better way to make a statement than to compete on the largest stage in the State of Pennsylvania when they face off against Neumann University at Citizens Bank Park," said Comcast-Spectacor President Peter Luukko. "There are a tremendous number of Penn State alumni living in the Greater Philadelphia Region who are looking forward to this game. We are thrilled to host this game as part of a week-long celebration of hockey in Philadelphia. It will be great for the City and great for the school. We're really looking forward to welcoming Penn State Division I hockey to Philadelphia."

"Many of my fondest memories of growing up playing hockey come from playing outdoors. There is something really special about the feel of the air and the sound of the ice," said Penn State head coach Guy Gadowsky. "The Penn State Hockey family is extremely grateful to Comcast-Spectacor President Peter Luukko for the opportunity to participate in this once-in-a-lifetime event. It will be an unforgettable experience for our entire team."

Tickets, which cost $10 each, are general admission only and are available here. Fans must enter `PSU' when prompted for the promotion code.

In addition to the Penn State-Neumann matchup, the 43,000-seat stadium will host the fifth annual Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic between the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers on Jan. 2. The venue will also host the American Hockey League's Adirondack Phantoms and Hershey Bears for the third-ever AHL outdoor game Jan. 6.

In 2012-13, Penn State will play its first varsity season since 1945-46 as an independent before joining the newly-created Big Ten Hockey Conference, along with traditional powers Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State and Wisconsin, beginning for the 2013-14 campaign.

In addition, the Nittany Lions will open Pegula Ice Arena for the 2013-14 season. The future home of Penn State Hockey, Pegula Ice Arena will be an approximate 200,000-square foot, 6,000-seat state-of-the-art, multi-purpose facility located right on campus.